The present invention relates to apparatus for flushing toilet water tanks and in particular to a mechanism for controlling the amount of water discharged from the water storage tank.
In general, toilet water storage tanks have an enlarged outlet in their bottom walls, discharging water into the toilet bowl. A discharge valve, commonly referred to as the "ball", is normally seated in the outlet, and is attached at one end to a lifting rod, which is bent at its other end to pass through the front wall of the tank. The exterior end of the lifting rod is provided with a knob or handle, by which the user manipulates the lifting rod causing the ball to unseat from the outlet. The raised ball falls back into place automatically as the water in the tank is discharged.
Associated with this mechanism is a water supply allowing water from an external source to refill the tank. In conventional operation, the entire amount of water stored in the tank is discharged upon each operation of the lifting rod, even though only a fraction of that quantity of water may be actually required for flushing the waste material from the toilet bowl. As a result, unnecessary water consumption occurs which not only overburdens the municipal waste disposal systems, but results in an unnecessary comsumption of water.
Many attempts have been made to conserve water used in the flushing operation, particularly by controlling the degree or extent of actuation of the lifting rod and/or discharge ball valve. Among such attempts are those that specifically provide the lifting rod with two handles, one which activates the lifting rod fully and the other which actuates the lifting rod only partially, consequently causing the ball to fall back into place and seat on or in the discharge opening before the flush tank is fully emptied. Reference can be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,988,786; 4,141,092; 4,175,296; 4,225,987; and 4,406,024; 4,411,029; and 4,530,119, each which show dual handle devices.
Each of the devices shown in the foregoing patents requires, in addition to the two handles, plural concentric spindles or shafts passing through the wall of the flush tank as well as complex structures for connecting the respective spindles to the lifting rod and thereafter for controlling the degree of rotative manipulation of the handles and/or the degree of lift imparted by the lifting rod to the ball. Sometimes a second lifting rod is required. These devices have not found commercial favor because of their complexity and the need to modify the tank construction and/or the flush mechanism, all of which prohibitively raises the cost of any installation.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for controlling the operation of flushing apparatus for toilets and particularly to a mechanism by which the amount of water being discharged can be selectively controlled and reduced.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a control mechanism for toilet flush apparatus which may be readily attached to the conventional devices without major modification or change therein.
Various other objects together with numerous advantages of the present invention will be apparant from the following disclosure.